Recovery from Trauma: A Look into the Process of Healing from Sexual Assault

Skinner, Julia

Journal of Loss and Trauma, v14 n3 p170-180 2009

The purpose of this article is twofold. First, it is a narrative of the healing process and long-term effects of a sexual assault. But tied in with that is another aspect which I feel would be robbing my readers of a full understanding of my experience were I to exclude it. This involves these effects on an interpersonal level: an account of how the reactions of others shaped my healing process, and how the experience has shaped my worldview in regard to how I choose to interact with and respond to others. Similarly, the impact upon my loved ones will be explored. As many readers of this article are already aware, sexual assault has a lifelong impact. As we are social creatures, I feel it is impossible to detach my experiences from the social sphere: Neither myself nor my past exist in a bubble, and these interplay with the people in my life in varied and fascinating ways. The goal of this article is to engage in a candid discussion of the impact rape has had on myself and those around me. (Contains 2 notes.)